Death toll 91: Floods continue in Jammu-Kashmir

The death toll across Jammu and Kashmir from the past three days touched to 91 as on Friday three more persons including a woman lost their lives due to flood furry. At least 14 persons were trapped while four of them died when a landslide hit Thanamandi town in Rajouri district of Jammu province on Friday, Four persons One person died in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district when he came under an electric poll, uprooted due to flash floods. Another person died of heart attacking after he observed gushing waters making entry into his village in Tangmarg area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district. Two people drowned when strong water currents washed away a bridge at Brazlu in Kulgam district. Three people were washed away when they were crossing Nallah Sukhnag in Khansahab area of Budgam district.

Chaos and confusion prevailed for the consecutive third day in Mehjoor Nagar, Bemina, Lasjan, Barzullah, Ram Bagh, Baghat, Channapora, Natipora and other parts of old city due to flash floods. A masjid was partially damaged when the branch of a Chinar tree fell on its roof. Reports said that during the time of incident there was nobody present in the Masjid. Locals at Firdous Abad Fruit Mandi Parimpora told CNS that at least 300 families are still trapped in water, however, nobody from the administration and the government visited their area. Most of the shops in city centre Lal Chowk in Srinagar remained closed while thin movement of traffic was observed on the roads throughout the day.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Atul Kansal, IGP Kashmir A.G.Mir and other officials visited several flood affected areas of Srinagar city. They supervised the rescue and relief operations. These officials visited various areas including Lasjan, Mehjoor Nagar, Bemina, Barzullah, and exhorted the field officers to provide all possible assistance to the affected people.

At least three persons were washed away by robust water currents when they were crossing the nallah Sukhnag near Kumer Khansahab area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Locals told CNS that a group of people were trying to cross the nallah when a strong current washed away at least three people. Their identity was no ascertained yet.

A youth lost his life at Latiwaza area of Ganderbal district when he came under an electric poll that was uprooted due to flash floods. The incident occurred when the deceased Mushtaq Ahmed Tantray son of Sanaullah Tantray had gone to his fields to assess the flood situation.

Police rescued a shepherd, his wife along with their two sons from Gumri area near Zojilla pass in Ganderbal district when they came under a land-slide. SHO Sonamarag Mir Afaq told CNS that four members of a family were rescued by police from Gumri. He refuted the reports than more than 150 people had been trapped there.

Reports said that Army personnel from 13 RR swung into action after Kanyari village in Bandipora District submerged into water. Army used rescue boats and evacuated the hundreds of residents to safer places. An army official told CNS that all the residents were shifted to Degree College Sumbal and proper food and other necessary items were supplied to the affected people. The soldiers from the same unit launched rescue operation in Banyari village of the district Bandipora and evacuated hundreds of villagers to safer places.

Unprecedented floods create havoc in Uri Baramulla on Friday. The gushing waters washed away NS Bridge connecting the town with Valley. Jabla Bridge, 3 kilometers away from Uri town that connects Srinagar with Muzaffarabad in Pakistan administered Kashmir was destroyed due to speedy waters. Due to the destruction of the bridge, scores of vehicles including army convoys were stranded on the Srinagar-Muzaffrabad road.Eyewitnesses told CNS that due to increasing water level in the dam, all the four power generating units of Uri II were closed. People residing in the adjoining areas of the dam were shifted to safer places after speedy waters started entering into these villages. “We have shifted the people living Salamabad, Kalgai, Jhulla and Dachi villages to safer places as water level is increasing and there is every possibility of these villages getting submerged into flood waters,” a police official told CNS. Four houses were completely damaged after they collapsed due to flash floods at Salamabad Uri. However, police rescued all the family members and shifted to them safer places.

Reports said Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) camp located at Bela in Uri Tehsil was washed away when gushing waters made entry into the camp that created panic among the CISF personnel. Flood water also made its way inside Sub-District Hospital Boniyar as a result authorities shift all the patients to safer places.

Livestock numbering dozens were killed when they were trapped in midst of flash floods in the higher reaches of Bangus Valley. A middle-aged man Muhammad Assadulah Sheikh died of heart attack in Pinjoora village near Kunzar after seeing the flood waters enter the hamlet.

Different areas in Pattan town including Trikolbal, Ghatgopalan, Khoi Sultanpora, Hanjivera Payeen, Nooripora, Gund Khawaja Qasim, Kanturbough, Malmou, Arampora, Bedbugh, Habak and Tengpora, Malbuchan were still submerged for the second consecutive day while at Ghatgopalan village 26 houses were collapsed. However, no loss of life was reported from any part of the town.

Reports said that scores of houses have been damaged due to flash floods in Tungiharan, Archandrahama, Agarkalan and Kungamdara areas of Pattan area.

Flash-floods reportedly claimed two lives in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district when according to locals strong water currents washed away Brazlu bridge soon after Friday prayers. The bodies of the duo were untraceable till the last reports came. Their identity has not been ascertained yet. Dozens of land-slides hit Kokarnag area for the consecutive second day on Friday. Police said that 14 families comprising of 96 members were rescued from Mati Bidhar area of Kokarnag and were shifted to safer places.

Many villages in Anantnag district continued to be cut off due to damage to bridges following flashfloods. Dozens of villages in Sangam including Marhama are still submerged as a result huge losses to property have been reported. Authorities evacuated hundreds of villagers Bangidar, Buhram and other areas. Authorities pressed dewatering pumps into service to drain out the water from the raods.

Many areas in the old Anantnag town and KP Road are still submerged in floodwater. Various area of the town including Mattan Chowk, Dangerpora, Mehandi Kadal, Lal Chowk, Janglat Mandi, Iqbal Market, Laizbal, Anchidora, SK Colony, Naibasti and Achabal Adda. Choppers were seen flying across South Kashmir doing aerial survey of the havoc created by flash-floods.

Pulwama

At least 150 sheep belonging to Abdul Hamid Chopan and Farooq Ahmed Chopan died due to land slide in Seer Jagir area of Tral town of Pulwama district..Flood threat still loomed over scores of hamlets in District Pulwama including Gulzarpora, Halmula, Sethar, Kaichbehkut, Chersu, Sail. The adjoining villages of Kakpora, Awantipora, Pampore and Tral were still submerged in water for the consecutive day. Reports said that people already evacuated from their houses have taken shelter in Schools and Panchayat Ghars.

Reports said that flash floods created havoc in different parts of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. The livestock of nomads residing in the upper reaches of the district were reportedly washed away. Police said that 400 people were rescued from Rakh Litter, Wachi and Zainpora villages of the district. (CNS)

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